On Saturday, Nov. 9, the Hanson House Foundation will present its 21st annual gala at the Palm Springs Surf Club. Featuring a “vintage style” theme, the event will feature entertainment, auctions, food and drink, casino games and more, including the chance to win big prizes.
Since its founding, the nonprofit Hanson House has provided a “home away from home” for families and friends who want to be near patients in nearby hospitals, and outpatients receiving care at nearby hospitals. Hanson House—adjacent to Desert Regional Medical Center, at 380 E. Paseo El Mirador, in Palm Springs—offers a tranquil, comfortable and affordable place to stay.
Patients’ outcomes are improved by having loved ones nearby. “We had a family whose 17-year-old son was in a bad car accident; he was in the trauma unit at Desert Regional,” said Ivonne Moreno, executive director of Hanson House. “Although he was in a coma, he said he knew his mom was by his bedside all the time. He could feel her, hear her. It made all the difference to his recovery.”
In this particular case, the mother had no car and couldn’t otherwise afford to stay in Palm Springs, so Hanson House was the only way she could be by her son’s bedside.
Other people staying at Hanson House are receiving cancer treatments, which can involve daily appointments over an extended period of time.
“We are next door to the hospital,” Moreno said. “For patients who have cancer treatment who live 25 minutes away or more, we provide a place for them to stay, especially if they don’t have reliable transportation. We make sure they make it to their treatments.”
One such patient, Margie Huckabey, credits Hanson House for her recovery.
“I was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung and stomach cancer three years ago, and had chemo and radiation treatments, but afterward I was so tired, I couldn’t drive to my house in Twentynine Palms,” Huckabey said.
She has been cancer-free since June. “The care and compassion the staff showed me meant so much,” she said. “They always asked me, ‘How are you doing?’ I also loved the tranquility, walking in the gardens, seeing the flowers. The comfort helped me a lot.”
Hanson House opened its doors on Christmas Eve 2003. Dr. Frank Ercoli, the medical director of trauma and critical care services at Desert Regional Medical Center, had the idea to create a place that provided comfort and care to the families of patients. Lord James Hanson, a British industrialist and part-time resident of Palm Springs, made a generous donation to start the fund for the facility that is now named for him.
Those staying at Hanson House are provided with a private casita with a patio, and access to a kitchen, pantry and dining area. Wireless internet, laundry facilities and a chapel/meditation room are also available. Volunteer staffers work four-hour shifts and are available around the clock to help—answering questions, holding hands or even praying.
Guests are encouraged to participate in activities. For Huckabey, this was a great help. “I liked all the activities they had,” she said. “I remember painting rocks and putting them around the garden. It helped me a lot, especially the care they showed me.”
Hanson House is dependent upon donations, grants and fundraisers such as the annual gala. Guests, who are referred to Hanson House, are charged, but pay only what they can. Moreno said no one is ever turned away on the basis of being unable to pay.
“We provide hope for families because they are by (their loved one’s) bedside every day,” Moreno said. “They can talk to their doctors, their nurses.” And for the patients, “Having their families nearby gives the patients the incentive to want to improve their health.”
Hanson House’s 2024 Annual Gala, “California Dreaming,” takes place from 6 to 10 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 9, at the Palm Springs Surf Club, 1500 S. Gene Autry Trail, in Palm Springs. Tickets start at $250. For tickets or more information, visit www.hansonhouse.org.
